Has anyone upgraded to a Orange Alpine 160 from a Orange 5

Or why have you bought the Alpine 160 instead of the Orange 5
il be buying the frame only

No one ??

No – gone from a patriot xcel to orange 5 am. Where do you intend to ride it? I find the 5 better suited to uk conditions

I sold a Patriot and a Stumpy FSR to get an Alpine. In an ideal world I’d have had a full on DH bike and a Five, but I don’t have that sort of money to buy them, or the space, and I couldn’t afford to keep 2 bikes in good condition.

I’ll be honest I do sometimes think I’ve got a little bit more bike than I actually need, and that maybe I should have got a five AM, but it’s probably only a bit heavier by maybe a couple of bags of sugar or something, and I can live with that. I’ve done uplift days on it, and it was great in the Alps (obviously I suppose), I even managed to put in reasonable lap times at OSMM. In all honesty though I had my heart set on one when I first saw it, and rarely have many moments regretting it. I’m not a particularly hardcore rider, but it’s good to know in my clumsy moments it hopefully won’t break under me.

Similar – tried a Nomad but went back to a Heckler. Quickly realised the H was not limiting me in any way apart from car-park posing.

I Have the Orange 5 AM 2008 version
Just that i like to plough through the ruff stuff
and that the Alpine 160 has a slacker head angle
and thinking this will be better on the steep
descents

The key is in the name. There are no situations in the uk where an Alpine would be better than a standard 5.

loddrik – Member

“The key is in the name. There are no situations in the uk where an Alpine would be better than a standard 5.”

Doubt that’s true, maybe on XC routes but if you chuck it down a dh trail- and I think Grantway does? Then the Alpine could definately be more suited.

Just sold my 5 and bought a 2009 Alpine, not had it off road yet mind you. Feels a good bit slacker than the 5, i got it to ride uplift days and to do Fort William WC course. I did it on the 5 and although it handled it i felt it would be more fun and quicker with a bit more travel.

I have Cotic Soul for Trail cetre and XC duties so the extra weight doesn’t effect me, although i intend to give it the odd outing at Trail centres im willing to haul it up hills to fly down the other side!

I doubt you will be disappointed if you have and like the 5?;

Thats it Northwind i live for the Gravity sections and
I admit a bit crap head for hights so i push my self
on steep stuff but the very steep stuff i sometimes if but or when.

But the head angle is 1mm relaxed but works out about 40mm wider on
the bikes total length.

Think il take a test bike out and run them back to back over
Surrey Hills and Swinley Forest and if the Alpine is better
il sell the frame and swap me bits over.

I have an Alpine 160, about 6 weeks now. Upgraded from an 07 Stumpy (with 140mm forks) main reason was i needed a bike which didnt keep breaking like the stumpy. I figured the Alpine 160 was as tough as i’d get (my choice vs Remedy vs Spicy. I was worried about the weight and head angle for climbing. But I have to say, no worries on either account, ridden it twice a week on XC and downhill, Cwm Carn 3 times now (all climbing on twrch and either downhill back or xc down). Its been great so far, no where near its true ability, whereas the Stumpy I always felt was at its limit.

Chuffed to bits with it, climbs really well and just eats up descents!

Mine weighs 33lb with a gravity dropper seat, its a large 20inch frame.

Maybe a 5 AM would have done, but I know the Alpine 160 is my best do it all bike! unless you can afford a xc and a downhill to run.